Technology and Health Care最新文献

This study investigates the efficacy of two advanced magnetic resonance technologies, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) and chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST), for the precise detection of epileptic foci through the quantification of glutamate in a patient with drug-resistant epilepsy. A 21-year old female patient with drug-resistant epilepsy was examined using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), MRS, and CEST with a 3.0-T MRI scanner with an 8-channel phased array head coil. Despite the absence of identifiable lesions on conventional MRI scans, CEST identified regions of high glutamate concentration in the left hippocampus, consistent with an epileptic focus. These results were confirmed with MRS. The findings of this investigation indicate that CEST is an effective method for the detection of high levels of glutamate, which correspond with epileptic foci. We therefore propose that CEST and MRS be incorporated into the standard diagnostic protocol used for patients with drug-resistant, MRI-negative epilepsy.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma exhibits high heterogeneity regarding its molecular and cellular characteristics. Biochanin A (Bio-A) has demonstrated promising clinical anti-tumor effects.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of Bio-A treatment on the proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and migration of the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2.

Methods: HepG2 cells were treated with varying concentrations of Biochanin A. The MTT assay was employed to assess cell proliferation, the scratch test was utilized to evaluate cell migration, and flow cytometry was conducted to analyze the cell cycle. Potential targets were identified through network pharmacology and subsequently verified via molecular docking.

Results: Bio-A treatment significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of HepG2 cells (p < 0.05). There was a significant increase in the proportion of cells in the G1/G0 phase in the Bio-A group (p < 0.05). A total of 16 intersection targets between Bio-A and liver cancer were identified through bioinformatics analysis. The potential targets were predominantly enriched in cancer-related signaling pathways. Molecular docking confirmed that Bio-A formed stable complexes with NCOA3 and PPARG.

Conclusion: Biochanin A exerts a significant inhibitory effect on the biological functions of HepG2 cells.

BackgroundMenopause and periodontitis can lead to changes in mandibular bone structure. Fractal dimension (FD) and radiomorphometric indices, which are widely are used to assess such changes.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate mandibular trabecular bone using fractal analysis and cortical bone using radiomorphometric indices on panoramic radiographs of individuals with and without periodontitis during the perimenopausal and postmenopausal periods.MethodsThis retrospective study used panoramic radiographs from 60 females, categorized into four groups: perimenopausal and periodontally healthy (PERI-H); perimenopausal with periodontitis (PERI-P); postmenopausal and periodontally healthy (POST-H); postmenopausal with periodontitis (POST-P). Radiomorphometric indices and FD were measured bilaterally on selected condylar (F1, F6) and gonial regions (F2, F5), as well as between the first molar and second premolar teeth (F3, F4) bilaterally.ResultsIn the F3 and F4 regions, the POST-P group exhibited lower FD values compared to the PERI-H group (p = 0.035, p = 0.001, respectively). In the F1 region, significantly lower FD values were observed in the POST-P group versus the PERI-H, PERI-P and POST- H groups (p = 0.017, p = 0.011 and p = 0.017, respectively), and the POST-H group showed significantly lower FD values than the PERI-H group (p = 0.011). Cortical bone classification showed that C1 was most common in the PERI-H group (66.7%), C2 in the POST-H and POST-P groups (60.0%, 66.7%, respectively), and C3 in the POST-P group (26.7%) (p = 0.004).ConclusionsPostmenopausal females exhibited greater bone resorption in the alveolar region and the right condyle, and also showed lower FD values compared to perimenopausal females. Additionally, females with periodontitis exhibited lower fractal dimension values and increased bone porosity compared to the healthy group.

BackgroundVibration applied to the chest wall can activate the tonic vibration reflex (TVR), potentially increasing respiratory muscle activity and ventilation. While single-site intercostal stimulation has shown such effects, it is unclear whether multi-site stimulation provides greater benefits.ObjectiveTo investigate whether synchronised multi-site intercostal vibration enhances ventilation through increased rib cage expansion in healthy adults.MethodsThirty healthy adults underwent chest wall vibration under three randomised conditions: 4-point stimulation, 8-point stimulation, and sham control. Vibration was synchronised with resting breathing. Tidal volume (Vt), minute ventilation (Ve), and thoracoabdominal displacement were measured. A linear mixed-effects model was used to compare outcomes across conditions.ResultsThe 8-point stimulation significantly increased Vt and Ve compared to the 4-point and control conditions (p < 0.01). Rib cage displacement also increased, while abdominal motion remained unchanged. These findings suggest that enhanced ventilation was primarily due to rib cage expansion.ConclusionSynchronized multi-site intercostal vibration improves ventilation by increasing rib cage expansion in healthy adults and may offer a novel non-invasive respiratory facilitation strategy.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the predictive value of LA strain parameters and LASI for AF recurrence following electrical CV, and to compare them to conventional echocardiographic, biochemical, and clinical markers.MethodsIn this prospective, observational pilot study, 31 patients with persistent AF underwent electrical CV and were followed for six months. Echocardiographic evaluation included LA reservoir, conduit, and contractile strain, left atrial stiffness index, left atrial volume index (LAVI), left atrial appendage (LAA) morphology, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), right atrial (RA) area, and right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP). AF recurrence was assessed at three and six months.ResultsAt three months post-CV, LA reservoir, conduit, and contractile strain values were significantly negatively associated with AF recurrence (p < 0.001), while LASI and E/E' ratios were positively associated (p < 0.001). At six months, only contractile strain retained prognostic significance (p = 0.008). LVEF showed a positive correlation with recurrence at six months (p = 0.003), potentially reflecting the role of diastolic dysfunction.ConclusionLA strain parameters and LASI are valuable tools for predicting AF recurrence after CV, particularly in the early post-procedural period. Contractile strain may serve as a more reliable long-term predictor, emphasizing the importance of longitudinal atrial function assessment in rhythm outcome prediction. However, given the small sample size and single-center design, these results should be considered hypothesis-generating, requiring validation in larger studies.

ObjectiveThe present study aims to establish normative data for the Turkish mobile digit-in-noise test. The main objectives are to provide a reliable hearing screening tool for clinical, educational, and research purposes and to investigate its relationship with socio-demographic factors.MethodsThe study included 353 participants with normal hearing, aged 12 to 60 years. The mobile Turkish Digit-in-Noise (T-DIN) test, developed for the Android operating system, was administered using a Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphone paired with the original earbuds. To assess the reliability of the mobile T-DIN test application, it was re-administered to 172 participants under similar test conditions after a 15-day interval.ResultsThe Spearman correlation analysis yielded a coefficient of 0.754, while the intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated as 0.431. Normalization values for the assay were set at a signal-to-noise ratio of -7.05 ± 0.84. A statistically significant difference in mobile T-DIN SNR values was observed based on the age of the participants.ConclusionThe mobile T-DIN test is a suitable tool for hearing screening in individuals aged 12-60 years and provides a practical and reliable method for assessing auditory function.

BackgroundWater quality is a critical component of environmental and public health, as polluted water bodies can lead to serious health outcomes. The Miljacka river, flowing through Sarajevo, has been significantly impacted by industrial and urban wastewater discharges.ObjectiveThis study aims to develop a 3D digital model of the Miljacka river, built on topographic and satellite data, to support improved pollution assessment and inform water quality management strategies.MethodA 3D model of the river was created using integrated hydrological, topographic and satellite data. Initial 2D schematics were developed in AutoCAD and visualizations were produced in SketchUp, Revit and Twinmotion to simulate river flow dynamics and pollutant dispersion. Areas of interest were identified to assess the spatial distribution of contaminants.ResultsThe model enabled the visualization of pollutant movement and the identification of potentially high-risk zones along the river's course. Analysis of the available data suggests possible impacts of pollution on public health, particularly in relation to chemical contaminants and microbial loads, although further studies are needed for a more precise assessment of health risks.ConclusionThis research highlights the importance of integrating advanced digital technologies in environmental health assessment.

IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to examine the content quality and potential shortcomings of arthroplasty training videos on Instagram.Materials and MethodsA search on Instagram was performed from November 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024. The hashtags Replacement, Total knee replacement and Knee arthroplasty were translated into 6 different languages and searched on Instagram by 6 observers who are native speakers of those languages. The videos were scored using the DISCERN score and Global Quality Score (GQS). The extent to which the videos addressed the processes about which patients need to be informed was also examined.ResultA total of 126 videos were analyzed in this study. The median DISCERN and GQS scores were 3.0 [1.0-5.0] and 3.0 [2.0-5.0], respectively. The most frequently mentioned subheading was arthroplasty procedure and prosthesis technology (74%), followed by treatment options (66%). The least mentioned subheading was complications (19%), followed by return to social life (44%).ConclusionsThe main finding of this study was that knee arthroplasty videos posted on Instagram were lacking in data. Video content largely describes surgical techniques but is insufficient to inform patients about postoperative processes. The video content quality was found to be moderately good according to both video quality scores, and these quality scores were moderately correlated with the mention of subheadings.

BackgroundHypertension is one of the most important health-related problems worldwide, and its monitoring is necessary constantly.ObjectiveThe regular methods of blood pressure monitoring have disadvantages; hence, the interest in finding better solutions is stirred.MethodsIn this study, PPG signals from 218 subjects in Guilin People's Hospital were analyzed, where 657 PPG recordings were employed together with demographic and clinical data. CNN-Attention, CNN-GRU, and LSTM, have been conducted with z-score normalization and augmentation in an 80:20 train-test split.ResultsThe highest performance of the CNN-GRU model achieved 75% accuracy, an AUC-ROC of 0.658, and perfect recall for hypertensive cases at 1.00. While the CNN-Attention model reached an accuracy of 61%, the overall poorest performance was given by LSTM.ConclusionThese results prove that accessible cardiovascular monitoring is feasible and valuable in a resource-limited settings.